Recoil absorber for firearms



NW. 26, 1940. I N; J A GALLIOT ETAL I 2,223,014

' I REcoIL ABSORBER FOR FIREARMS Filed July 28, 1937 Fig.5

Patented Nov. 26,1940 f t UNITED STATES {rabbit A me Rfmn- E R rGalliotpvaucressonl {and I ,aJeanne Adrienneyictorine Annaqhable, Paris,Y

l F ee"? App t The present invention relates to muzzle checksj or recoilabsorbers for-lfirearmsof the type including one or several convergentdivere I gent nozzles fixed-to the end of thebarrel or 'tube ofthe'arm,'a1ongthe axis thereof, andintended to increase the kineticenergy of the gases, which are subsequentlydeflected and di'spharged tothe outside by means-of a stationary deflector system includingdeflecting surfaces generated by therevolution, about-the longitu- 1dinal axis ofthe barrel, of one or more curvilinear qa'ros having theirconcavity turned toward the rear of the weapon, whereby the energy ofthe gases which escape through this deflector system" I is utilizedjforexerting a tractive force-in a direc -v I force 'producing thetionopposed to that of'the recoil of'th'e arm.

I The present invention relates"especia1l3 "=to the -construction andassembly of thedeflector elements; v I,

It has already been proposed, in our {Patent 'N0."2,143,596 datedJanuary 10, 1939, to constitute the deflector elements partly by thecurved rear faces of thelnozzles, and partly'by "the front faces of theaperturesprovided in an outer casing for the outflow of'athe gases. In.

the construction described in this patent, each of thenozzlesv isprovidedwith inwardly eX tendling" helical partitions or ridges servingto maini by the rifiing in the barrel}. l

1 The object of the presentiinve'nti'on'is to protain and accelerate therotary movement-offlthe gases around the axis of the weapon producedvide a=simplified construction ofJa recoil absorb-er ofth'is type. 1 i 1i- Accordingto the essentialfeature'of the present invention-theseinternal ridges carried by the respective nozzles'are prolonged towardthe'f'ront so as to be in contact each with the partx'of a deflectorelement formed" by the rearface of the l .next nozzlein said forwarddirections. I

According to another feature of the present invention in orderto opposerotary displacement g of thenozzles as might-result from the'rea'ctionof the'gases on said ridges, we provide steel wire rings, acting assprings, adapted tofit in circ'ular grooves provided-in the envelope,opposite the nozzles, and carryinglradial, inward'projec- 'tions', whichextend through the envelope and penetrate into corresponding holes ofthe noz-- zles.

Other features of the present. invention will result from the followingdetailed description of some specific embodiments thereof.

Preferred embodiments ofthe present invenendlofithebarrel of a firearm;

;erit.invention. l l "In the drawing, a designates 1the barrelliof aFig. 1 is a partial longitudinal section ialon firearm; bis afirstconvergent-divergentnozzle,

Reference characters c,.c designate annular outlet passages," limitedHtoward ,thegfront b'y the rear faces c2. :ofthe nextrespectiveinozzles,'(or for the lastpassage, cLtow ard the right hand side-of Fig. 1) bytherear facerf? :of the flange ,f of casing e, allthese surfacesbeing,of revolution" about axis -.'l: ;r'. Nozzles 1),"0, 'c'and e; areprovided with helical inward ridges 19 ,493;

screwed to the front end of thefgbarrekj c are three otherconvergent-divergent.,no.z- .-zles, mounted in front of' the ffirst one,behind I one-another, onthe inside of envelope lorgjcasing v e; Thefront part f of said. casing constitutes *an inwardflangeand surrounds acircumferem tially;groo ved axial opening for .the;pas,sagelof theprojectile.

e;I -and-"c respectively; in such'mannera's to con? .stitute rifling'swhich prolong bore of th'e barrel.- II I I These helical inner ridges bthe ,rifiings of the o ciand ciolf the barrel; Preferably, the pitch ofthe ridges b of the nozzle 1) is shorter than that of the-said Irifiing. In a like manner, the pitch of the ridges .10 of-each of thenozzles c is'shorter than-thatof the-preceding one, so-that these ridges12 ,0 03, ,will ;r naintain,-and even accelerate; the rotary movementofthe-gases aboutgaxis :c':c,-:produced loythe rifling OfthSbaI'IEL r IThe gases, which are thus-given vided-injcasing-e, passingbetweensuitablyshaped course turn in the same-direction as the rifiingof7 a high-speed rotary (or rather helical) movement about'axis armsrorpartitions e which are. for instan'celbevel- :shaped'on their "inneredge; The curved front face 6 of each of these apertures e prolongs'thecurved rear face 0 of each of the nozzles 0 respectively or the curvedrear face I of flange f. In thisway, each of the deflector surfaces'isconstituted, partly by the rear face 0 of a nozzle (or I I by the rearface f of flange J) and partly by the front face of-the ports e providedin casinge.

As shown by the drawing, casing e is fixed, by screwing at 17*, on thefirst nozzle b, itself screwed at a to the barrel. The other nozzles c,c, c are housed, behind one another, in the smooth cylindrical bore ofcasing e.

In order to keep these nozzles suitably spaced from one another,according to our invention, the internal ridges b or 0 carried by eachof said nozzles are prolonged toward the front so that their front endsconstitute bevelled or wedge- V shaped noses extending across passagesand bearing against the rear edges of the next nozzles, respectively(or, for the last set of ridges, carried by the last nozzle toward theright of the drawing, against the rear edge of flange In other words,according to the present invention, the wedge-shaped noses constitutedby the front ends of the ridges b and c act as longitudinal spacingmembers for maintaining the desired intervals between the successivenozzles.

With such an arrangement, the thrust exerted by the gases is transmittedfrom one nozzle to the next one through these helical partitions b 0thus prolonged.

In order positively to prevent rotation of the nozzles we may provide,in the outer face of casing e, opposite each of the nozzles b, c, acircular groove 6 in which is engaged a steel wire ring g, constitutinga spring. This ring a (Fig. 2) is provided with radial pointedprojections 9 extending inwardly, through suitable radial holes providedin the casing into corresponding holes 12 or 0 provided in nozzles b orc, which prevents any rotation of said nozzles. When assembling theparts, it suflices to open the ring slightly by elastically deformingit, in such manner as to force the pointed projections outwardly, so asto permit of fitting the ring in position in a groove e Under the-eifect of the elasticity of the ring, pointed projections g penetrateinto the holes of the casing and the nozzle thus preventing relativerotation thereof. Removal of the rings is effected in a similar manner.

We might also (as shown by Fig. 3) provide, in the rear face (0 F) ofeach nozzle, small recesses c in which would be engaged the front endsof the noses of the helical ridges b 0 so as to prevent rotarydisplacement of the nozzles.

under the effect of the reaction resulting from the thrust of the gasesupon these helical ridges.

Also, it should be well understood that this arrangement might apply toa muzzle check system in which the internal ridges of the nozzles wouldbe parallel to the axis of the barrel instead of being helically'disposed with respect thereto. I

In brakes which are strongly cooled, as those employed in aviation, inwhich mechanical qualities are more important than resistance to wear,the envelope may be made of a light alloy, preferably containing a highpercentage of silicium or another alloy having a coefiicient ofexpansion approximating that of steel.

In this case, in order to reduce the fatigue of the partitions providedbetween the gas exhaust apertures of the casing (which fatigue is due tothe obliquity of the helical ports), these partitions maybe madeparallel to the axis of the weapon.

In all cases, the nozzles will be preferably made of inoxidizable steel,in order to facilitate the removal by sliding.

For the same purpose, the nozzles may have their outer lateral face ofslightly conical shape, instead of being cylindrical, the small base ofthe cone being on the side of the front end of the arm; the bore of thecasing will be correspondingly conical.

In a general manner, while we have, in the above description, disclosedthat we deem to be practical and efiicient embodiments of the presentinvention, it should be well understood that we do not wish to belimited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement,disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principleof the present invention as comprehended within the scope of theappended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In connection with a firearm having a barrel, a recoil absorber forsaid firearm which comprises, in combination, a convergent-divergentnozzle fixed directly to the end of said barrel, in line therewith acasing coaxial with said barrel fixed directly to said nozzle, and atleast two other convergent-divergent nozzles mounted in said casing, inline with said first mentioned nozzle, said casing being provided withapertures corresponding with the intervals between said nozzles and thefront walls of which prolong the rear faces of the respective nozzles soas to form, together with them, deflector surfaces for causing the gasesescaping through said intervals and said apertures to flow out in arearward direction and helical inward ridges carried by each of saidnozzles having their front ends prolonged toward the front to engageeach the rear part of the next nozzle for keeping said nozzles incorrect relative longitudinal spacing relation with respect to oneanother.

2. A recoil absorber according to claim 1 in which said casing and saidnozzles are provided with radial holes adapeed to register with oneanother when all the parts are in correct relative positions, whichfurther includes elastic steel wire rings adapted to fit radially aroundsaid envelope, and inward projections carried by said rings adapted toengage in said corresponding holes of said envelope and said nozzles, soas to lock said part in correct angular position about the axis of saidfirearm.

3. A recoil absorber according to claim 1 in which the front endprolonged portions of said ridges, located ahead of the front edge ofthe the inward ridges carried by the preceding nozzle.

NORBERT JULES ANDRE GALLIOT. JEANNE ADRIENNE VICTORINE ANNA CHABLE.

